


fragments

by tebarambles



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F, silly fluff, so much dialogue, whoops i accidentally wrote angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 06:09:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19717798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tebarambles/pseuds/tebarambles
Summary: Tiny ficlets that never got the chance to become actual stories





	1. Chapter 1

_“I am sweaty and sore - and not in a good way!”_

Bernie squirmed in her office chair, trying to suppress a whimper at the mental image that her partner’s statement had conjured. Judging by the throaty chuckle coming from the other end of the line, she had failed.

“Oh, get your mind out of the gutter, major. This isn’t for your entertainment. I’m in agony here,” Serena whined, the dramatic effect somewhat lessened by the amusement still evident in her voice.

“It’s not my fault you went from couch potato to overachiever in 0.5 seconds, Fräulein…”

Serena gasped in mock outrage, “couch potato? You’ll take that back or -”

“Or?”

“Or I’ll make you regret that as soon as you set foot on British soil again,” Serena now positively growled.

Bernie smirked and leaned back in her chair. “Can’t wait,” she quipped before promptly ending the call. Then she opened a travel app and started looking for flights.

Time to go home.


	2. Chapter 2

“That’s it, you’re moving in with me”

“Serena, what -”

“Shush! You’re obviously incapable of living on your own, so you’re moving in with me.”

“You do realise that I lived in war zones - of course I am capable of living by myself, I -”

“Says the woman who broke her ankle while climbing out of the bathtub.”

“I couldn’t help it! My foot caught on the edge of the bloody bath rug!”

“My point exactly. You do realise that _normal_ people use these things to _avoid_ stumbling, right? You’re moving in, rather sooner than later. End of discussion”

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, darling, I’m moving in. I maintain that I’m perfectly fine on my own, of course, but I’m here most days anyway. It makes sense. In fact, I can’t wait! The keys are in the left pocket of my coat.”

“Uhm… the keys?”

“The keys to my flat. You know I don’t have many possessions, but you might want to ask Cam to help you anyway, seeing as I’m supposed to give my foot some rest…”


	3. Chapter 3

Something feels off, but she tries to push the thought aside, tries to focus on those strong hands she has been yearning for, undressing her, roaming her body. She leans back, closes her eyes, tries to steady her ragged breathing, to ignore the tightness in her chest.

_Please, please, please._

She isn’t sure what it is that she is begging for, but the voice inside her head keeps getting louder, more insistent. It is distracting her from the task at hand: pull yourself together, stay in the moment, you want this, you need this, you owe her this.

_Please don’t leave again._

She is so occupied with trying to stay present, reciprocating, moaning, sighing, that she realises too late that Bernie has stopped her ministrations.

_Shit_.

“Bernie?”

A flicker of pain crosses Bernie’s features before the façade is back in place, cold and stony, not unlike the one that Serena herself has been wearing for what feels like years now. “I think we need to talk”

Serena knows that sound, the forced calm that Bernie has plastered onto her voice. The cracks are unmistakable, though, much too familiar after everything that has happened. Serena knows she caused this, needs to make it right, tries to deflect Bernie’s request nevertheless.

“What? No, please, don’t stop, I-”

A humourless laugh falls from Bernie’s lips as she rolls onto her back, eyes fixed on the ceiling. “I know a build-up to a fake orgasm when I see one. Had to perform quite a few myself when I was with Marcus.”

Serena can feel the bile rising, turns her own eyes at the ceiling, takes a shaky breath, feels her face growing hot, tears gathering in her eyes.

“I’m sorry… it’s just – work has been stressful and-”

Her voice sounds strange to her own ears as she stops her answer mid-sentence. She can’t bring herself to finish it, to lie - again - to the woman she loves, can’t bring herself to be honest either. Unfortunately, what is in between doesn’t feel much better.

“Why aren’t you telling me what’s really going on?” The words come out much softer, so much more earnest and understanding than Serena had anticipated and they hit her even harder for it.

She reaches out, entangles her fingers with Bernie’s, knows her grip is too tight, can’t help it.

_Breathe._

“You left.”


End file.
